A guide to unlocking GW2 traits in the new system introduced with the April 15 Feature Patch.
Note: Characters created before April 15 Feature Patch only need to unlock Grandmaster XIII traits for each character. However, characters created after the April 15 Feature Patch will need to unlock every single one of their traits either via gold or the unlocking methods below
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Gold + Skill Points
Traits can be unlocked either with gold + skill points or via one of the listed methods below. If you chose the gold route, head to your class trainer (there is one next to the Shaemoor Waypoint in Queensdale)
- 10 silver + 2 skill points for each Adept Trait
- 50 silver + 5 skill points for each Master Trait
- 1g 50 silver + 10 skill points for each Grandmaster Trait
- 3 gold + 20 skill points for the newest Grandmaster trait added with April 15 patch
While it is costly, this method can be handy if you find the unlocking requirements for the traits annoying. If you do decide to unlock the traits by doing the required activity, make sure you take advantage of the spyglass icon to locate the location of the activity.
Trait Line One
Corresponding Trait Lines
- Guardian: Zeal
- Warrior: Strength
- Engineer: Explosives
- Ranger: Marksmanship
- Thief: Deadly Arts
- Elementalist: Fire
- Mesmer: Domination
- Necromancer: Spite
I. Complete the Obsidian Sanctum jumping puzzle.
II. Capture Inferno’s Needle.
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- Infero’s Needle is a tower in the south portion of Edge of the Mists (WvW map)
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III. Earn 100% completion in Gendarran Fields.
IV. Defeat Rhendak the Crazed.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BGIBAAA=]
- Rhendak the Crazed is inside Flame Temple Tombs (Font of Rhand) , a mini dungeon in Diessa Plateau. The dungeon only opens up when you complete Flame Legion Battles meta event which centers around Incendio Templum where the Font of Rhand Portal (where you enter the dungeon)
- It helps to have a friend or two going into this mini dungeon as it is very difficult to solo due to the timed puzzle inside the dungeon.
- Events under this meta event
Defend Bloodsaw Mill from the Flame Legion (23)
Recapture Bloodsaw Mill from the Flame Legion (23)
Recover the scattered pieces of scrap metal for Savor Foulnight (23)
Defend Faint Ghostnight as he searches for a new devourer egg (23)
Defeat Hazarar Razenight (24)
Help the Night warband reach Incendio Templum (24)
Capture Incendio Templum from the Flame Legion before reinforcements arrive (25)
Prevent the Flame Legion from retaking Incendio Templum (25)
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V. Earn 100% completion in Blazeridge Steppes.
VI. Help Shining Blade Kimber defeat Kol Skullsmasher.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BK0AAAA=]
- Kol Skullsmasher is a champion giant inside Hidden Ourobon in Harathi Hinterlands
- Beware that this event is triggered by talking to Shining Blade Kimber outside the cave if the event is not already active.
 
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VII. Befriend the ogre camp so they will join you as allies.
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- Ogre Camp is in WvW Eternal Battlegrounds – Orgath Uplands. It is a mercenary camp.
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VIII. Complete the Citadel of Flame in Story Mode.
IX. Find the splendid chest in Rebel’s Seclusion.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BBoCAAA=]
- Rebel’s Seclusion is an area in east side of Fireheart Rise. To get to it, take the waypoint at Breaktooth’s Waypoint and you will find the entrance to the area NE of the waypoint guarded by Ascalonian ghosts and separatists.
- The chest and Rebel’s Seclusion achievement is located a on top of a hill guarded by Veteran Ascalonian Enchanter.
 
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxdDKZLmIlA&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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X. Defeat the Terror-Seven Krewe Leader.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BNQCAAA=]
- This is a group event that occurs in the Benthic Kelp Beds region of Mount Maelstrom
- There are several events that occurs in sequence
Harass Inquest workers at Aquabase Terror-Seven
Defeat the krewe leader at Aquabase Terror-Seven
Defeat Aquabase Terror-Seven’s massive pet, Fluffy
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XI. Discover Death’s Anthem.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BOQGAAA=]
- Death’s Anthem is a wrecked ship in the southern part of Cursed Shores.
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XII. Defeat the Risen High Priest of Balthazar.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BPoCAAA=]
- This event only triggers after either the North, Central or Southern Invasion of Orr reaches the Triumph Plaza (go there to see the status of the meta). It is part of the Temple of Balthazar meta requiring 20+ players to participate.
- Events after one of the Invasion forces reaches the Plaza
[Group Event] Help the Pact reach the Altar of Betrayal before their morale is depleted (75)
[Group Event] Seize the Altar of Betrayal before Pact morale can be broken (75)
[Group Event] Defeat the Risen Priest of Balthazar before it can summon a horde of Risen (75)
- If the High Priest is defeated, the temple will remain open for 1 hr and 45 minutes until another event spawns to defend it. Successfully completing that event will give allow the temple to remain open for 1 more hour.
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XIII. Defeat the Risen High Wizard and secure the Promenade of the Gods
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- Closest Waypoint – [&BB8DAAA=]
- This event is part of Gates of Arah meta that opens up Arah dungeon in Cursed Shores
- Events that are part of the meta
Get Warmaster Chan to Shank Anchorage before the troops’ morale breaks (80)
[Group Event] Secure the Pact staging area at Shank Anchorage (80)
Collect scrap metal to help Ballistician Dexa build her siege weapon (80)
Help Crusader Angaria signal reinforcements for the assault on Arah (80)
Escort Scholar Didi to the signal flare site to summon her golem prototype for the assault on Arah (80)
[Group Event] Help the Pact seize the steps of the Promenade of the Gods (80)
[Group Event] Help the Pact capture the hall of the Promenade of the Gods (80)
[Group Event] Defeat the Risen High Wizard and secure the Promenade of the Gods (80)
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Trait Line Two
Corresponding Trait Lines
- Guardian: Radiance
- Warrior: Arms
- Engineer: Firearms
- Ranger: Skirmishing
- Thief: Critical Strikes
- Elementalist: Air
- Mesmer: Dueling
- Necromancer: Curses
I. Find the splendid chest in Earth’s Gap.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BLoDAAA=]
- This chest is inside a cave called Earthlord’s Gap in north part of Kessex Hills. It is at the very end of the cave. If the door to the chest is locked, you can interact with it to release trolls that will fight the bandits nearby. When the trolls die, the gate will be opened.
 
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II. Complete Twilight Arbor in Story Mode.
III. Defeat Ulgoth the Modniir and his minions.
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- This is a World Boss event in Modniir Gorge section of Harathi Hinterlands
- Spawns at the following times PDT (server time): 17:30, 22:30, 0:30, 5:00, 9:30, 14:00
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IV. Earn 100% completion in Lornar’s Pass.
V. Kill Sharky the Destroyer in Arca Lake of the Harathi Hinterlands.
VI. Defeat Elite Officer Jayne in the Brigantine Isles of Gendarran Fields
VII. Befriend the hylek camp so they will join you as allies.
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- Eternal Battlegrounds WvW map – Darkrait Inlet in the south (Mercenary Camp)
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VIII. Find the grand chest in the Windy Cave.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BJkBAAA=]
- Windy Cave is a mini dungeon near the Mistriven Wayshrine in Lornar’s Pass.
- The entrance is guarded by a couple of harmless dredges but inside are super annoying oozes that knock you off ledges and bats that goes invulnerable when you fight them. If you have sprint + invisibility of some sort, you can run past most mobs and avoid most of the tedious fighting. Otherwise, consider bring a friend of two.
 
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKjkI31fGoA&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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IX Defeat the fire shaman and his minions.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BO4BAAA=]
- Fire Shaman is in Sorchlands region of Iron Marches and spawned by a group event.
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X Complete the story step "Forging the Pact."
XI Complete the Crucible of Eternity in Story Mode.
XII Find the grand chest near Scholar Fryxx.
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- Closest Waypont: [&BO4CAAA=]
- Scholar Fryxx is next to the Long Way Around explorer achievement west of Fort Trinity in Straits of Devastation
- There are two ways of doing this. Doing this the proper way involves disabling all six datapads inside the cave within 10 minutes, which is quite difficult. There is a shorter method in which you can swim through a gap in the top left of the force field at the end of the cave.
- Here is a guide for the proper way.
 
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XIII Defeat the Risen Priest of Grenth.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BCIDAAA=]
- Risen Priest of Grenth is part of Temple of Grenth meta event in Cursed Shore
- Events that are part of this meta
Help the Pact strike team make their way to Death’s Gaze Torch (80)
Protect Tactician Footi as she sets up her cannon (80)
See Keeper Jonez Deadrun safely to Death’s Gaze Torch (80)
Secure Death’s Gaze Torch while Explorer Ambrose completes his ritual (80)
Ensure that Keeper Jonez Deadrun reaches the Cathedral of Silence (80)
[Group Event] Use portals to fight shades, slay the Risen Priest of Grenth, and protect Keeper Jonez Deadrun (80)
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Trait Line Three
Corresponding Trait Lines
- Guardian: Valor
- Warrior: Defense
- Engineer: Inventions
- Ranger: Wilderness Survival
- Thief: Shadow Arts
- Elementalist: Earth
- Mesmer: Chaos
- Necromancer: Death Magic
I. Defeat Fleshgrazer
II. Complete the story step "The Battle for Claw Island."
III. Capture Stonegaze Spire
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- Stonegaze Spire is a tower in the NW section of Edge of Mists WvW map
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IV. Defeat Victurus the Shattered and his army
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BOoBAAA=]
- This is a group event in Crystalwept Groves area of Iron Marches. Victurus roam quite abit.
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V. Earn 100% completion in the Fields of Ruin.
VI. Defeat the Giant Blood Ooze in the Challdar Gorges of Bloodtide Coast.
VII. Befriend the dredge camp so they will join you as allies.
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- Eternal Battlegrounds WvW map – Molevekian Delve in the NW (Mercenary Camp)
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VIII. Complete Sorrow’s Embrace in Story Mode.
IX. Defeat Vidius Flame Tribune.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BBwCAAA=]
- Part of The Battle for Buloh Crossing meta event in Fireheart Rise. If the waypoint there is contested, there is a good chance he is inside.
 
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X. Complete the story step "The Battle of Fort Trinity"
- Level 70 Personal Story quest
XI. Find the locked door at the end of the forgotten stream.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BBsDAAA=]
- Forgotten Stream is a location in Cursed Shores behind the Cathedral of Verdance
 
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XII. Defeat the Risen Priest of Melandru
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- Risen Priest of Melandru is part of the Temple of Melandru meta event that takes place in Cursed Shores.
- Events that are part of the meta event
Reclaim Gavbeorn’s Landing from the Risen (80)
Defend Gavbeorn’s Landing from invading Risen (80)
Escort Magister Izzmek to the site of the first signal beacon (80)
Escort Magister Izzmek to the site of the second signal beacon (80)
Defend the beacon until Pact reinforcements can arrive (80)
[Group Event] Escort the Pact forces to the Temple of Melandru (80)
[Group Event] Destroy the Risen Priest of Melandru (80)
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XIII. Defeat the Karka Queen
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- World boss in Southsun Cove that spawns at 18:00, 3:30, and 9:00 US PDT
- Closest Waypoint: [&BNcGAAA=]
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Trait Line Four
Corresponding Trait Lines
- Guardian: Honor
- Warrior: Tactics
- Engineer: Alchemy
- Ranger: Nature Magic
- Thief: Acrobatics
- Elementalist: Water
- Mesmer: Inspiration
- Necromancer: Blood Magic
I. Complete the story step "A Light in the Darkness."
II. Capture Tytone Perch.
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- Tytone Perch is an tower in NE section of Edges of the Mists WvW Map
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III. Find the grand chest in Provernic Crypt
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BOQAAAA=]
- Provernic Crypt is a mini dungeon in Gendarran Fields. You will need to find 2 rocks inside the crypt and then place them on pressure plates to open the door to the chest room next to the Champion spider.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6OsbpZRs04&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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IV. Earn 100% completion in Harathi Hinterlands.
V. Defeat Gargantula, the spider broodmother in the Wynchona Woods of Harathi Hinterlands.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BKgAAAA=]
- There is an event to free the Serphs before the event for Gargantula spawns
 
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VI. Defeat the Krait Witch of Nonmoa Lake in Timberline Falls.
VII. Find the chest in Verarium Delves.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BMkBAAA=]
- Verarium Delves is a hidden area in Sparkfly Fen and getting the chest takes a lengthy path
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vegDmObSihY&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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VIII. Find the grand chest in Arundon Vale.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BHgCAAA=]
- Arundon Vale is a cave in the SE corner of Frostgorge Sound
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzlHCZTgdbg&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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IX. Defeat the dredge commissar
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- Champion Dredge Commissar is a group event in Tribulation Rift section of Dredgehaunt Cliffs. He is part of the meta event In Pursuit of Knowledge
- You need to drive the dredge out of Fridgardr Lodge, Firebase Molek, Mantelet Refuge, and Grnaite Citadel before you can push the dredge back to Tribulation Rift and spawn the Commissar.
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X. Complete the story step "The Source of Orr."
XI. Complete Honor of the Waves in Story Mode.
XII. Defeat the Statue of Dwayna.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BLICAAA=]
- Statue of Dwayna is part of the Cathedral of Zephyrs meta event In Malchor’s Leap.
- Events that are part of the meta event
[Group Event] Escort Historian Vermoth to the Altar of Tempests (79)
[Group Event] Defeat the Risen Priestess of Dwayna (79)
[Group Event] Drive Malchor to the Altar of Tempests (79)
[Group Event] Defeat the possessed statue of Dwayna (79)
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XIII. Find the grand chest in the Ship of Sorrows.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BOUGAAA=]
- Ship of Sorrows is a location in Straits of Devastation
- Chest is inside the wrecked ship on the bottom deck but the area is infested with risen so it is a good idea to bring a friend or two.
 
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BVn8ONBE6o&w=448&h=252&hd=1]
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Trait Line Five
Corresponding Trait Lines
- Guardian: Virtue
- Warrior: Discipline
- Engineer: Tools
- Ranger: Beastmastery
- Thief: Trickery
- Elementalist: Arcana
- Mesmer: Illusions
- Necromancer: Soul Reaping
I. Complete Caudecus’s Manor in Story Mode.
II. Kill the Foulbear chieftain and her elite guards.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BE8BAAA=]
- Foulbear Chieftain is part of the group event that occurs in Hunter’s Gorge area of Fields of Ruin as part of the Ogre Wars meta event.
Capture Bloodgorge Watch (33)
Kill the ogre leaders of Sapper’s Delve and hold the hill (31)
[Group Event] Assault Foulbear Kraal by killing its leaders before the ogres can rally (34)
[Group Event] Destroy Foulbear Kraal before the ogres can rally (34)
[Group Event] Kill the Foulbear Chieftain and her elite guards before the ogres can rally (34)
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III. Complete the story step "Retribution."
IV. Earn 100% completion in Dredgehaunt Cliffs
V. Defeat the Champion Ice Wurm at Posternus Caverns in Lornar’s Pass
VI. Defeat Lord Ignius the Eternal of Lornar’s Pass
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BOUAAAA=]
- You must complete this chain of solo events to get this group event to pop up (Collect dwarven artifacts from False Lake for Innkeeper Klement –> Defend Klement and Fabri from pirate thieves –> Escort the asuran researchers to Vanjir’s Stead)
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VII. Defeat Vexa and her golem in Vexa’s Lab
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BCYCAAA=]
- Vexa’s Lab is in Fireheart Rise. It is a mini dungeon that can be soloed for the most part but for the Vexa fight it is good to bring friends.
- Guide to Vexa’s Lab
 
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VIII. Defeat the Infinity Coil Commander and capture the Infinity Coil.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BEIFAAA=]
- Infinity Coil Commander is part of the group event that opens up Crucible of Eternity in Mount Maelstrom. It is part of the Toil for the Coil Meta event
- Slay cave trolls to stop their attacks on Gallant’s Folly (68)
Break into Infinity Coil (68)
Capture the Zhaitan research Lab (69)
Capture the Destroyer Lab (69)
Shut down the Crystal Research Lab (69)
Disable the White Zone’s lab equipment (69)
[Group Event] Capture the Infinity Coil (70)
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IX. Defeat Admiral Taidha Covington
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BKgBAAA=]
- Admiral Taidha Covington is a world boss in Laughing Gull Island section of Bloodtide Coast and is part of The Campaign Against Taidha Covington meta vent
- She spawns at 20:30, 2:00, 7:00, 12:00, 15:30 PDT
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X. Defeat the Branded Devourer Queen.
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BO8BAAA=]
- Branded Devourer Queen.is a champion mob inside The Infestation part of Iron Marches and is part of the meta event Devouring the Brand
Help the Sentinels clear a path across Lake Desolann (57)
Escort Centurion Bloodfist to Day’s Labor (57)
Defend the siege devourer while it assists the troops (57)
Free Sentinels from Branded crystals and escort them back to the main group (58)
Destroy Branded devourer nests (59)
[Group Event] Kill the Branded devourer queen (59)
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XI. Defeat the Overgrown Grub.
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- This Grub is Eternal Battlegrounds in the Blue World’s Valley (varies depending on your server’s WvW matchup)
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XII. Complete the Ruined City of Arah in Story Mode.
XIII. Defeat the corrupted high priestess of Lyssa
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- Closest Waypoint: [&BK0CAAA=]
- High Priestess of Lyssa is part of the Cathedral of Eternal Radiance meta event in Malchor’s Leap
- This trait is now awarded upon preventing the statue of Lyssa from being retaken by the Risen, as well as defeating the corrupted high priestess of Lyssa
- Events that are part of the meta event
[Group Event] Protect the Pact golems until they charge the neutralizer device (78)
[Group Event] Defend the energy containment device (78)
[Group Event] Stop the Inquest from draining the energy containment device (78)
[Group Event] Destroy the Risen fortifications to capture the Seal of Union (78)
[Group Event] Defeat the Risen forces before they construct fortifications around the Seal of Union (78)
[Group Event] Defend the Seal of Union from corruption (78)
[Group Event] Defend the Seal of Lyss until the Pact cannon is online (78)
[Group Event] Defend the seal until the Pact cannon is back online (78)
[Group Event] Drive off the dragon minions (78)
[Group Event] Kill the Corrupted High Priestess (78)
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22 replies on “GW2 Traits Unlocking Guide”
This way makes the skill feels more epic since obtaining them require us to bleed 😀
A small explanation please, do we have to do ALL of the requirement from I to XIII for each trait line to unlock the grandmaster trait?
Nevermind i got it.
After reading an article on the pale tree i have to agree that some of the things you have to go after to unlock this stuff is messed up… as an example the trait line 5, trait 6 is 100% explore on frostgorge sound. The problem is that people will only be somewhere around lvl 30 to 60, as its an adept trait and you have to fully explore a lvl 70-80 zone. There are several other things that are messes up with the adept unlocks. Personally, I think it would have made more sence if trait one and two were in the 30s, trait 3 and 4 were in the 40s and trait 5 and 6 were in the 50s… the master and grandmaster traits seems to be somewhat ok but what is with the new grand master in the middle of the sea of sorrow? Seems really out of place.
Hard to unlock skill XIII in trait skill line 5 right now: Lyssa is never up on my mega-server (defense event is always done) and it’s not possible to guest anymore because of mega-servers. Moreover, it is really hard to communicate with ppl because of the new chat option (which should clearly not be enabled by default).
Hope that the other traits can be properly unlocked.
Overgrown Grub is such a bad move.. normally nobody does that in WvW and it has like a million HP
Ya only bored zergs does it
That is the point. They checked their metrics, see what people does the most and the least, and selected many things not many people do. To encourage people to do them.
I have a lvl 21 Guardian that I created before the patch on April 15th. Will he need to “unlock” traits via the new system or will he be grandfathered in and get all of the traits for free once he reaches the appropriate level?
Most likely grandfathered in I think but better double check. You won’t be able to see it until you are L30
I used some level-up books to reach lvl 30 and I can confirm that traits, except for #XIII, are unlocked for a character made before the 15th.
Thank you, Dulfy, as always, for helping us through these difficult times.
When I conquer Needle’s Inferno with my uplevelled level 10 character, will that unlock a trait, at least later on when I get to level 30? Or must I do it again?
Ok, tried it out. It works. You *can* unlock a trait even below level 30, that is, even when you have not access to the list of traits. It leads to a weird buggy-looking presentation in the UI: When you click on the wobbling hexagon over the minimap (which advertised that you have just unlocked a trait), the Hero Screen opens and tries to present you the trait – but it can’t, because it is locked below level 30. So it presents skills instead which have nothing to do with the just unlocked trait.
one thing to watch out for, if your unlocking the traits that require story step and your assisting someone else. as in they opened the instance and you joined them and choose to accept the results. it will not unlock the trait.
Tutorial is not good, Arena modify all map exploration’s trait…
Everyone says you only need to unlock grandmaster traits in you created your character before April 15, I created my character before then and he is now level 43, but not still says I need to unlock Master traits? I can’t put my 3rd point into strength.
You can’t put points into master tier until level 60. But you don’t have to go and individually unlock the trait skills. Level 80 for grandmaster.
I hate this new system. I’m a new player as well but in the old system you unlocked access to master tier at level 40 then grandmaster at level 60. This stupid new trait system just makes the whole damn game slower and more boring.
Ranger’s Steady Focus (blue, defeat Fleshgrazer) Trait from Marksmanship is incorrectly placed in your guide’s Wilderness Survival. It should be in Marksmanship.
what if i bought duplicate trait guide, is there a way to refund my points?
What would be much more useful is for this guide to list the traits in order of difficulty. We can already get this list from the wiki…
how to i get all 70 trait points?? some one pls tell me!